Rattlin is a hard, fish-shaped lure that resembles a standard wobbler, but without a blade. The eyelet for attaching to the fishing line is located on top, exactly in the center of the bait, which ensures balancing on the fishing line and an interesting game when diving and retrieving. Initially, rattlins were invented for summer fishing, but fishermen quickly realized that rattlins were also suitable for winter fishing.
Features of winter rattlins
- All models of winter rattlins are sinking, which is necessary for fishing from the hole. The deeper the fishing spot, the heavier the rattlin should be used.
- Light rattlins take longer to descend, but deviate more from the vertical axis of the hole, which allows you to fish a larger area from one place.
- The bait plays steadily when lowering and rising.
- When falling to the bottom, it performs damped oscillations.
- They are equipped with a pair of tees: one on the tail, one on the belly.
- It makes a special noise while moving, since there are rattle balls inside the bait.
Varieties of rattlins
Ratlins can be either sinking or suspended (hanging in the water column). Winter models include sinking ones.
They are further divided according to the degree of deviation from the axis. Some of them plunge strictly vertically, with virtually no deviations, while another type can also deviate very strongly horizontally in different directions. Roughly speaking, we can call the first type – vertical, and the second – horizontal.
It is better to use vertical ones in snag areas, and horizontal ones in all other cases, since their game is more attractive and the fishing area is much wider.
Size of rattlins for pike, length, shape, weight and color
First of all, let’s say that there is no universal bait, and it is better to have with you an arsenal of a wide variety of baits, varying in size, shape and color.
Size
According to statistics, the most catchy rattlins for pike are models from 50 to 80 mm in length. The smaller ones are more suitable for perch, and the larger ones for trophy pike. The larger the rattlin, the less pike will be tempted by it, but at the same time the chance of catching a large (trophy) pike increases.
Weight
The average weight of rattlins can range from 8 to 20 grams. For shallow water and shallow depths, it is better to use models weighing up to 12 grams. At depths of more than 5 meters and in areas with strong currents, it is better to use models from 15 grams. Heavy rattlins sink faster, are less likely to drift, and are better suited for spot fishing.
Form
According to the body shape, Rattlin can be narrow or wide. Wide ones are noisier when fishing and are designed for catching pike, while narrow ones are better for catching pike perch. All this is quite conditional, and with any form of bait you can catch both pike perch and pike perch.
Colors
As with other types of baits, such as balancers, wobblers and amphipods, the colors must be selected to match the natural food of the fish in a particular body of water. For example, if there are a lot of small perch in the lake, then the pike will better perceive the green coloring of the perch.
Or for small roach, perch, or crucian carp, respectively silver, gray and gold. It is recommended to start fishing with such colors at depth, and in shallow water you can try bright colors: acidic, yellow, orange.
Again, this is all quite arbitrary. Try all the rattlins you have, starting with natural colors. Always experiment.
Hooks
Please note that built-in hooks are not always sharp or strong enough. In some situations they can simply straighten up, but in others they cannot penetrate the fish efficiently.
It is better to use tees for pike, and doubles or singles for pike perch, since pike perch has a bony jaw, it is much more difficult to break through it. Therefore, you can use doubles or singles, since all the hooking force will be concentrated at one point on the hook.
Content
- How to catch pike perch using VIBs?
- Tips from experienced fishermen Techniques for playing with bait
- Selection of VIB depending on depth and current
- Tackle for zander
- Why rattlin and why VIB? What is the difference?
- Why does VIB seduce a predator so much?
- Why not a balancer or a spinner?
- The most popular VIBs
More and more often there are news from reservoirs, photographs in the gallery that confirm the effectiveness of these baits. They are not from the cheap segment, so trying many options from your own experience will be a rather expensive “pleasure”. We decided to help you and compiled the TOP of the best models. We took comments from a couple of anglers who have already gotten their hands on these baits and successfully catch predators with them.
When to fish with winter rattlin
Let us immediately note that in winter it is not always caught with it. We recommend fishing on the first ice, when pike, pike perch and perch are active and moving well around the reservoir. Such a noisy bait will attract a predator from a large area.
In the dead of winter, when there is little oxygen in the water, the catch will be worse, but still the noise and vibrations of the bait can awaken predatory fish to bite. Note that perch, even when it is not hungry, can attack rattlins, which is explained by the defense of its territories from competitors.
In this situation, a color similar to the perch itself will be effective. A big plus will be the presence of a suspension, which becomes an additional point of attack for the perch.
Rattlins catch the worst on the last ice, when pikes and other predators have their bellies filled with eggs. During this period, it is better to use spinners and balancers on a slow retrieve. Perch can also be caught using jigs.
Wiring technique
The technique of winter fishing for ratlins differs from the summer one. In summer, in open water, the retrieve is carried out horizontally, and when fishing from ice - exclusively in a plumb line. In general terms, the whole process here looks like this:
- Toss the bait up 20-50 cm.
- Smooth lowering of the vibration to the bottom under its own weight.
- A short pause, and again a toss.
The ratlin is usually grabbed by a predator at the lowest point, when it freezes for several seconds. The following factors are important to the likelihood of a bite:
- vertical amplitude of bait throwing;
- vibration speed, both up and down;
- direct or stepwise lowering of the bait;
- the time during which the rattlin is in the lowest position;
- features of vibration or movement of the wobbler during wiring.
Based on this, you should choose an approach for each rattlin model that allows it to show its capabilities as effectively as possible. Experienced fishermen advise that before going fishing, first practice in a bathtub or a large bucket of water. Here you can practice the technique of vertical wiring, understand in which case the bait moves most naturally and actively.
Rattlin fishing gear
The usual gear for fishing with a balance beam is suitable, namely:
- Light fishing rod 0.5–1.2 meters long.
- Lightweight spinning or inertial reel.
- Monofilament line with a thickness of 0.20 to 0.35 mm.
The thickness of the fishing line does not have any special influence on the wiring and play of the rattlin. Note that for small pike a reel reel is quite suitable, but for a large pike it is better to use a spinning reel with a adjusted clutch. It is important that the reel is light and does not upset the balance with the fishing rod.
Tactics for searching and catching ratlins in winter
Search tactics are not particularly different from fishing with other baits. The principle here is to drill as many holes as possible and stand where the bite is best, but now in more detail:
- We drill 10 holes in one go at a promising location.
- The distance between holes is from 5 to 10 meters.
- We return to the first hole and make 5-10 entries.
- We try to fish in all holes in order.
- If no bites were observed, we change to another rattlin.
- Drill 10 more holes.
- We start fishing from the very first hole and have already fished 20 holes.
- If the bite still doesn’t start, we move to another place 100-500 meters away and try everything again.
- If there is a bite in one of the holes, we drill an additional five holes in a circle at a distance of 2-5 meters from the one where the bite occurred.
The most effective places for catching pike are shallow waters near the reeds, at a distance of 3 to 20 meters.
Best ratlins: top 10
Let's start the rating with a bait from the DUO company. Ratlin Bay Ruf SV needs no introduction. This is truly bait number 1. It comes in two sizes (7 cm and 8 cm), and both are suitable for catching pike. The only caveat: some may find the tees too small, but they can be easily changed if desired. The material from which the standard tees are made is of very high quality, it’s good if the replacement turns out to be complete, otherwise it’s better to leave everything as is. And it is also necessary to take into account that when changing hooks, the game of the bait will change. Bay Ruf SV lures are great for vertical fishing.
One of the best winter ratlins is the ZipBaits Rigge Vib . Now it is available in two sizes - 58 and 63 mm. If you are lucky, you can find a used ratlin measuring 70 mm. It has been discontinued from production for some unknown reason, but the sizes available in the range are sufficient for winter fishing.
MIRA VIB 83 from Owner has excellent flight characteristics, thanks to which it is actively used for casting pike. Works well on all types of wiring: uniform, stepped and American. The ratlin's body is covered with a holographic pattern, but the main feature that ensures maximum resemblance to a live fish is the eyes. They are difficult to distinguish from the real ones. The bait behaves equally well both with fast and slow retrieval.
Rightfully in the top 10 ratlins for pike is the Hardcore FINTAIL VIBE 70 , which has a high-frequency action. Used mainly for fishing at great depths. The weight of the bait is 18 g. Its distinctive feature is the presence of a petal-tail, which provides additional animation and attracts a predator from afar.
Rattlin Rapala is an excellent ratlin for catching pike in deep water. Excellent horizon hold. Available in various colors, which makes it possible to choose “your own”. The weight of the bait is 16 g, thanks to which it flies quite far. Length – 7 cm. Despite the fact that perch also shows interest in this bait, its size cuts off small things. The ratlin is made of high-quality plastic that is resistant to pike teeth.
Halco Max was developed for sea fishing, but it is good for catching pike in fresh waters. The first difference from most ratlins is the narrow and elongated body shape. And also - weight (80 g), suitable for catching trophy specimens. Halco Max can be used for trolling. It performed well at depths of 2 m to 3 m in reservoirs with a clean sandy bottom.
Good ratlins for winter fishing - Maria slice . The body shape of this bait stands out from the general idea of ratlins. Its frontal part is narrow, widening from the back to the tail. In general, ratlins do not have a clear gradation into winter and summer, and this model is equally catchy in both liquid and solid water. In winter, it is used in deep-water areas for vertical fishing. Ratlin weight is 15 g, length – 70 mm.
Arsm Vibe from Yo-Zuri is Japanese quality at a very affordable price. The weight of the bait is 20 g, combined with good aerodynamic qualities, it is excellent for long casts. Model length – 75 mm. It works most effectively with stepped wiring. Ratlin can be used in reservoirs with standing water and in currents. The bait is available in various color combinations.
Ratlin STRIKE PRO FLAP JACK is another inexpensive representative of this class of wobblers. The presence of two mounts allows you to choose the angle of inclination of the bait. The sharpness of the wiring depends on this. If you attach the ratlin to the ring closest to the head, the wiring should be smoother. High-quality material and good hooks, combined with catchy colors, give good results when fishing for pike. The length of the ratlins in this line, suitable for pike fishing, is 75 and 90 mm.
The universal ratlin Bet-A-Vib from Pontoon 21 is available in two variations - with and without noise effect.
The rattle is suitable for spinning fishing, the silent model is ideal for ice fishing for pike. These ratlins showed themselves best as active predators, as they have a lively game. Lure length – 61 mm, weight – 14.5 g.
